A party pooper's dilemma, what to do?

[Hairon]

Hey all, I'm new here.
A little about myself- 24 years old, noticed a decrease in hair since about 2-3 years ago, I still have hair, but my hair line has been receding and the hair on my scalp is getting thinner, I'd say I don't have the normal male pattern baldness,I'd say I'm the type who loses hair throughout the whole scalp evenly.

When I first noticed the hair loss, I went crazy, got freaked out and went researching about the whole subject for like a week straight, spent hours on reading and researching.
now I'm pretty pessimistic by nature, and I'm a pretty healthy person who would want to keep being healthy as much as possible.
From everything I've read and researched, the hair loss world is a pretty gloomy world.
Every supplement, drug, or any other product gives a minimal improvement if anything, and in return causes some serious side effects there aren't really worth it, propecia might be the product with the most success, but in return it destroys your sex life, nasty.
minoxidil helps to some too but cause stimulate growth of hair on your face, ears, and back. and that's just a tiny example of the side effects.

So from a pessimistic party pooper to you guys, as honest as it gets with no bs around, is there really any solution for hair loss, something that really makes a difference and it doesn't cause bad side effects? or should I just accept my fate and enjoy my hair until it falls down?

 

[Norwood One]

At the very least use minoxidil. It's benign compared to anti-androgens. Understandable you wouldn't want to jump to finasteride. I was the same way (for 3 years).

Once/if you hit 2.5 or Norwood 3, you'll take the plunge. I call it the 5 stages of finasteride (very similar to the 5 stages of grief)

1.)[FONT=arial, sans-serif]denial - This cant be happening to me, I don't want to take this [/FONT]potentially[FONT=arial, sans-serif] penis killing drug[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]2.) anger - Screw you dad for your genes, screw you mom[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]3.)bargaining - Maybe I can just try minoxidil and these natural supplements? it might work[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]4.)depression - fcukk, i've hit 2 - 3.5[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]5) acceptance - well, might as well jump on finasteride. This hairloss is killing me inside.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]6.) Profit??? - Hair regrowth!?
7.) Sexy ladies. - pure sex.
[/FONT]

 

[Hairon]

At the very least use minoxidil. It's benign compared to anti-androgens. Understandable you wouldn't want to jump to finasteride. I was the same way (for 3 years).

Once/if you hit 2.5 or Norwood 3, you'll take the plunge. I call it the 5 stages of finasteride (very similar to the 5 stages of grief)

1.)denial - This cant be happening to me, I don't want to take this potentially penis killing drug
2.) anger - Screw you dad for your genes, screw you mom
3.)bargaining - Maybe I can just try minoxidil and these natural supplements? it might work
4.)depression - fcukk, i've hit 2 - 3.5
5) acceptance - well, might as well jump on finasteride. This hairloss is killing me inside.
6.) Profit??? - Hair regrowth!?
7.) Sexy ladies. - pure sex.

What is finasteride? if it's like propecia then what sex are you talking about? propecia kills your erections.

Have to agree with the statement above. Minoxidil won't hurt you, and the worst case it won't help you either. It takes three to four
months to see if it works or not.

However, use it on all your diffuse hair areas. You are saying it is thinning evenly, if I understand you correctly.

As for hair on your face, who cares? Almost every guy has a beard in the US, does it really matter?

If you don't want facial hair, just shave it off.

I'm already hairy enough, beard grows up to my upper cheeks, eye brows thick as hell, but it's not the beard area I'm worried about, I heard it could make your hair grow in weird placed like your ears, back, and so on.
Plus I'm naturally hairy I wouldn't want to get more hairy that I already am, if I try minoxidil and I get the hairy side effect the hair will not magically fall of if I stop using the product

 

[g.i joey]

Counteract the hairy side effects with finasteride lol it would work.

 

[kmm179]

dude you realize the sides of finasteride/propecia is a small percent. Not everyone who takes it dick falls off...You obviously didn't do enough research or you would know it a small percent.....

 

[Hairon]

dude you realize the sides of finasteride/propecia is a small percent. Not everyone who takes it dick falls off...You obviously didn't do enough research or you would know it a small percent.....

Even if it's a small percent, I wouldn't risk it.

 

[kmm179]

You stated propecia kills your erections like it is a guarantee it will, which is false in 95 % of cases. If your against finasteride and minoxidil, your out of luck. I can guarantee you will regret not trying anything. When your significantly bald in your 20s and majority of you friends have great hair you will be feeling it.

 

[Hairon]

dude you realize the sides of finasteride/propecia is a small percent. Not everyone who takes it dick falls off...You obviously didn't do enough research or you would know it a small percent.....

Even if it's a small percent, I wouldn't risk it.

 

[g.i joey]

take it from me, its at least worth a try.

 

[Notcoolanymore]

Every supplement, drug, or any other product gives a minimal improvement if anything, and in return causes some serious side effects there aren't really worth it, propecia might be the product with the most success, but in return it destroys your sex life, nasty.
minoxidil helps to some too but cause stimulate growth of hair on your face, ears, and back. and that's just a tiny example of the side effects.

Negged for the spreading of bad information. Just nonsense. If this is they what you think of treatments then just accept going bald. There is nothing that will EVER be available that will be 100% safe PERIOD.

 

[GoldenMane]

Lets assume there's a 5% chance finasteride gives you temporary ED. There's an 88% chance it will stop or reverse your hairloss. Those are really good odds. If you are in the unlucky 5% (probably less) then when you quit you'll be back to normall.
So essentially you won't try a drug that has an 88% chance of saving your hair because there's a <5% chance it will give you temporary ED which will go away when you quit. I'm sorry but that's just stupid, some of you guys just don't deserve hair...

 

[Saurabhaj]

There is a proven report that finasteride causes decrease in semen volume as a side efect in written in medical books..
This is enough reason to be cautious..
I am using Finasteride too but..
Not always..thrice a week or more...

Erectile dysfunction maybe psychological but decrease in semen volume..not at all.

 

[Hairon]

Lets assume there's a 5% chance finasteride gives you temporary ED. There's an 88% chance it will stop or reverse your hairloss. Those are really good odds. If you are in the unlucky 5% (probably less) then when you quit you'll be back to normall.
So essentially you won't try a drug that has an 88% chance of saving your hair because there's a <5% chance it will give you temporary ED which will go away when you quit. I'm sorry but that's just stupid, some of you guys just don't deserve hair...

There are reports that in some cases the damage done by the drug is irreversible, that even after people stopped using it the side effects stayed.
What finasteride does is blocking/reducing the DHT hormone in your body, DHT is comes from testosterone, it is part of testosterone, messing with DHT in your body which is connected to your testosterone is asking for side effects like these.
and I wouldn't know so much about the "5% percent" chance, even if that's what the drug says, I've been reading in a lot of forums and read many comments by people using them and there were way more than 5% who said the drug messed up their sex life.
Plus, I've read that once you start the drug, if you ever stop using it the hair loss will come back quickly and on top of that you'd lose MORE hair and FASTER than you originally would have if hadn't used the drug.

 

[GoldenMane]

Show me these "reports"

Truth is, if you start getting sides and quit within a reasonable amount of time, you'll make a full recovery. If you get sides and don't quit, then they'll get worse and worse. So
what's the answer? Try finasteride, if you get sides then quit. If you don't quit then you may have longer lasting issues. As far as I'm aware, ED always recovers.

Now gynecomastia is different. If you start growing breasts, and don't quit straight away, then they'll keep growing, and if they grow too much, the only option is surgical removal.

So this is the truth. Yes there are sides, most people don't get them. Whether the side effects are short term or permenant depends on the type of sides (Gynecomastia vs ED), and how long you stay on the medication after sides have began.

A smart person would at least try, probably be ok and benefit, and if they're in the minority who suffer, then quit shortly after they notice, If you do this then there's little to no risk of anything permanent

 

[Notcoolanymore]

There is a proven report that finasteride causes decrease in semen volume as a side efect

I wish my GF actually cared about this possible side effect.

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]I've been reading in a lot of forums and read many comments by people[/B] using them and there were way more than 5% who said the drug messed up their sex life.
Plus, I've read that once you start the drug, if you ever stop using it the hair loss will come back quickly and on top of that you'd lose MORE hair and FASTER than you originally would have if hadn't used the drug.

Sounds like you have conclusive evidence.

 

[Hairon]

Show me these "reports"

Truth is, if you start getting sides and quit within a reasonable amount of time, you'll make a full recovery. If you get sides and don't quit, then they'll get worse and worse. So
what's the answer? Try finasteride, if you get sides then quit. If you don't quit then you may have longer lasting issues. As far as I'm aware, ED always recovers.

Now gynecomastia is different. If you start growing breasts, and don't quit straight away, then they'll keep growing, and if they grow too much, the only option is surgical removal.

So this is the truth. Yes there are sides, most people don't get them. Whether the side effects are short term or permenant depends on the type of sides (Gynecomastia vs ED), and how long you stay on the medication after sides have began.

A smart person would at least try, probably be ok and benefit, and if they're in the minority who suffer, then quit shortly after they notice, If you do this then there's little to no risk of anything permanent

you might be right, but there are few problems, side effects may occur after months of use and not right away, and me personally I'm not sexually active right now, no gf or wife, if I start taking the drug, there is no real way for me to always check if I have the sexual side effects, I could take the drug for a long period of time when not being sexual active and then once I do in the future or something, that would be the only indicator to see if it affected me that way and that might be too late.

finasteride might be the drug that improves hair loss the most but I'm just too scared for the side effects to take it, as far as hair loss affects me I think I'd rather have optimal sexual health with no hair than having some hair but taking the risk of damage to my potency.
Potency wins over hair anytime.

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I wish my GF actually cared about this possible side effect.

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Sounds like you have conclusive evidence.

You seem quite aggressive towards people who talk about the risks of finasteride, there are many articles about what I said and I could link them to you but don't act like you're never come across one of them.
Here is one: http://www.drugwatch.com/propecia/side-effects/ scroll down to the "persistent sexual side effects" section, or read everything if you wish.

Also, I'd like to ask you, since you defend this drug so bad, do you take it? did it cause you any side effects?

 

[Notcoolanymore]

You seem quite aggressive towards people who talk about the risks of finasteride, there are many articles about what I said and I could link them to you but don't act like you're never come across one of them.
Here is one: http://www.drugwatch.com/propecia/side-effects/ scroll down to the "persistent sexual side effects" section, or read everything if you wish.

Also, I'd like to ask you, since you defend this drug so bad, do you take it? did it cause you any side effects?

I used to be aggressive, now I am more dismissive. As I have stated before, I believe finasteride can cause sides, just like any other drug. Yes I have come across plenty of articles and forum posts about finasteride sides. Do I believe them? Yes, some of them. But even you would have to admit that most of what is posted online is complete bull****. I could give numerous examples, but would rather keep this post as short as possible. I don't have a problem with guys that have had sides and post their experience on this forum. I feel bad for them and think they should be heard. They actually took the drug and their story is valid. My problem is usually with the guys that are **** scared of finasteride and refuse to help themselves because of fear. They will not get any of the benefits of finasteride and want to turn others away from the only thing that can really help with hair loss. Threads like this do more harm than good for guys that are looking to do something about their hair loss.

Yes I have taken finasteride for over two years now, and no it didn't cause any sides. I don't have the best head of hair since I started treating my hair loss very late, but I am in a better position than when I started.

 

[Hairon]

I used to be aggressive, now I am more dismissive. As I have stated before, I believe finasteride can cause sides, just like any other drug. Yes I have come across plenty of articles and forum posts about finasteride sides. Do I believe them? Yes, some of them. But even you would have to admit that most of what is posted online is complete bull****. I could give numerous examples, but would rather keep this post as short as possible. I don't have a problem with guys that have had sides and post their experience on this forum. I feel bad for them and think they should be heard. They actually took the drug and their story is valid. My problem is usually with the guys that are **** scared of finasteride and refuse to help themselves because of fear. They will not get any of the benefits of finasteride and want to turn others away from the only thing that can really help with hair loss. Threads like this do more harm than good for guys that are looking to do something about their hair loss.

Yes I have taken finasteride for over two years now, and no it didn't cause any sides. I don't have the best head of hair since I started treating my hair loss very late, but I am in a better position than when I started.

I'm no in way trying to drive anybody from taking finasteride if they want to, I was just sharing my own thoughts after researching and reading a lot about the subject.
and yes I'm openly admitting I'm very scared of trying it because even if it is a slight chance, the risk for those side effects is still there. and that scares the sh*t out of me. yes I would love to stop my hair loss, but in no way I'd be willing to risk my potency for my hair, as much as I love my hair I love my potency more.
I'm still checking options out tho, I'm not yet ready to to raise the white flag and shave the head.

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This is my hair right now:




Where do I stand in the Norwood scale? or any scale

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Anyone?

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bump

 

[jd_uk]

Bumped for hairon

 

[Norwood One]

Norwood 2 hairon.

You have decent thickness, might not even recede anymore. Could just be a "mature hairline' you keep for a decade.